EQUIPMENT: Running espresso stands taught Terry Ziniewicz what a store needs to hum.

WHO: Terry Ziniewicz, owner of Espresso Parts Northwest.

WHERE: 925 State Ave., Olympia.

PHONE: 357-7781 or (800) 459-5594.

WEB SITE: http://www.espressoparts.com

I WISH I HAD KNOWN: "Have a plan or at least an idea of where you want the business to be in five or 10 years, or at least have a roadmap."

OLYMPIA -- Terry Ziniewicz, who sends espresso-machine parts all over the world from his Olympia office, said his business got started by accident.

Ziniewicz was a partner in Picolo's Espresso in Olympia during the early 1990s, operating several espresso stands.

Ziniewicz found that his various espresso machines had different water distribution systems, which made repairs difficult.

"None of the parts were interchangeable," Ziniewicz said Thursday from his business, Espresso Parts Northwest, on State Avenue in Olympia.

Ziniewicz said he went to work, assembling a "good, working water system." He installed the new systems, and they performed well.

"Now we have over 3,000 of the systems distributed worldwide," he said.

After inventing a water pump system, Ziniewicz placed an advertisement in "Fresh Cup," an industry magazine and took his product on the road at a trade show in Los Angeles.

When he returned to Olympia, about a dozen requests for the pump systems were waiting on his fax machine.

"It just kind of snowballed from there," he said. The business began selling water tanks and, after moving into a bigger space, began importing espresso machines from Italy, manufacturing espresso carts and importing coffee.

The business, which now has two additional employees, continues to evolve, Ziniewicz said. It has since stopped manufacturing carts and importing coffee, but does sell commercial espresso equipment and recently began selling home espresso machines.

The company has a store on State Avenue, but it concentrates on mail order and Internet sales, he added.

"We don't rely on the walk-in customers," he said.

Ziniewicz and his wife, Kelly, left Picolo's around 1995 and changed the names of the stands they owned to Crazee Espresso. The couple also owns the Dancing Goats coffee shop in downtown Olympia.

But his history with coffee goes way back.

Ziniewicz owned a construction company during the 1980s. Before going to job sites, he would stop for coffee with his crew. He began to enjoy espresso drinks and stopped drinking "gas station coffee."

He saw espresso's potential and started buying former Seattle Filmworks' kiosks in the area, converting some into espresso stands. Ziniewicz said he doesn't like calling espresso a fad or trend.

"Coffee's been around since 1500 A.D." he said. And he said he believes that people will continue seeking out better coffee that's more carefully prepared.

Asked about what drink will become popular in the near future, Ziniewicz said blended, iced coffee drinks. They already sell well in his drive-through stands.

Espresso is an integral part of many businesses now, including Bagel Brothers, owner Marc Feigen said.

"When you're in the espresso business, it's nice to have someone around who can supply the parts," Feigen said. "He's a great guy for parts."

Ziniewicz said Espresso Parts Northwest's sales are growing annually, with customers in at least two dozen countries.

"I think we've outfitted every espresso bar in Israel," he said.

Joel Coffidis covers business for The Olympian.

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